All You Have To Do Is Stay
by HannahCake310
Summary: The pill fell into Jim's glass soundlessly sinking to the bottom of the brown rust colored liquid slowly dissolving while Jim looked up towards the entrance of the bar seeking for somebody, anybody to save him from the man who'd plopped down to his left.


The pill fell into Jim's glass soundlessly sinking to the bottom of the brown rust colored liquid slowly dissolving while Jim looked up towards the entrance of the bar seeking for somebody, _anybody_ to save him from the man who'd plopped down to his left. Finding no one he knew to save him, Jim reluctantly turned back to facing forward. He held back a gasp finding the man way too inside his personal space.

"Uhh," Jim cleared his throat trying to find some dignity. "Personal bubble?"

The man, red hair too bright even with bar lights dimming the atmosphere and eyes brown but dull looked back at him. Jim held back a shiver, he didn't know why but he sure as shit didn't want this man as close as he was. Something was wrong with him, Jim just couldn't figure out what. The bar top was sticky as the man – Jim hadn't even caught his name or if he did he couldn't remember – grabbed for the drink he'd brought with him when he'd sat down. He held up his beer bottle. "A toast?"

"To what?"

 _"Don't bare your teeth at people, Jimmy. It's bad taste."_ Gaila's scolding voiced laughed in his head.

 _Please go away, please go away._ Jim'd had a long day and this was just _perfect_ , just what he didn't need. Some guy trying to pick him up on fucking Thirsty Thursday. _Kirk luck running true to form._

Annoying Guy clanked his glass against Jim's loudly with a thin smirk on his pale pasty face. Even his smile spiked a pit of unease inside Jim. The man waited, patiently switching to look between the drink in front of Jim and Jim's' lips. The blonde felt a cold chill run down his arms making the hair stand on end. His _Danger_ sense was tingling - something wasn't right.

Fine. Alright. Just a little bit of liquid courage then he'd tell this guy to beat it. He picked up his glass feeling condensation wetting his hand then brought it up to his mouth–

"Hey! Stop!" A deep accented voice yelled a second before the brim of the glass touched Jim's lips. He swung his head around seeing a good looking man advancing towards him with fire blazing through his eyes like a mother bear protecting her cubs. It was the bartender. And he was pissed.

What?

Jim felt his heart race at the sight of him, what? What had he done? He wasn't starting a fight – for once. He wasn't trying to pick anyone up – for once. And he wasn't trying to have a quickie in the bathroom – okay, that was one time… two times. He'd never even _been_ inside this bar before!

The bartender growled, actually _growled_ when he stomped close enough.

"He laced it. Put a pill in your drink, kid." The batman's face was red as he spat the words. Jim felt his drink dropping from his hand, it spilled over the already sticky wood. He jerked back when the older man with stubble dusting his chin lunged forward grabbing for the asshole next to him. Anger made Jim's cheeks redden but before he could do anything the pissed off barman had his would-be drugger out of his seat and across the bar by the collar of his shirt.

Damn. Stubbled Barman was strong.

Jim didn't noticed the other patrons in the bar quiet down listening in, rubber-necking and trying to get up on tip toes to see what was happening.

"Listen here you little prick," Barman started just loud enough for Jim to hear over the music. He was an inch in front of Asshole Guy's face. "If you ever do something like that again I won't hesitate to shove my foot so far up your ugly ass you'll be tasting leather." He snarled as the guy whimpered out something. Barman looked scary, brown and green blended eyes blazing and hair falling down into his face. "I should beat your ass right now for tryin' to pull somethin' like that. As it is, I'm not fixin' to replace my tables again so I'll just have Spock here escort you out." A man shouldered his way to beside Jim. He was tall, black haired and though his muscles didn't bulge there was an air of don't-mess-with-me about him.

The guy whimpered something out again that Jim couldn't hear but the bartender shook him hard, silencing him as his head snapped back and forth.

"If I ever see you in my bar again you might find yourself having an accident. Get me?" Then low, so low that even Jim wondered if he'd heard it right the bartender whispered, "No one ever suspects the bartender, get what I'm saying?"

As quickly as it all began Jim saw the man being shoved back and grabbed by the other man who stood next to him. He was then marched – shoved – out the bar roughly. Jim just sat there. Shocked and feeling sick to his stomach. Liquid from his spilled drink made the wood slick and wet, his clothes had taken the brunt of the drugged alcoholic beverage. His pants and lower shirt were soaked. He had to think back, did he drink anything after the guy had drugged it? Shit. He was almost roofied. Shit. That would've been bad. Like really bad. Like horribly bad. The guy could have killed him or-or raped him or done anything he wanted with him! Shit. Shit. _Shit_.

"Hey, kid!" The bartender that had saved him grabbed for Jim's shoulder when he's started to sway sideways. "You with me?" His savior looked generally concerned eyeing him without removing his hand. "What's your name?"

"Jim… Jim Kirk." His voice was hoarse. He blinked sluggishly feeling bile at the back of his throat. God, he was going to be sick.

"Leonard." The man said.

Jim blinked at him again. "Huh?"

"My name," the man – _Leonard_ – chuckled running his hand through his hair. "Take a deep breath Jim, you're not breathing."

"Oh," Jim felt so stupid. In more ways than one. He drew in a deep breath filling his lungs until he couldn't put any more air inside then let it out slowly. "Thanks for-uh-"

"Don't mention it. Seriously, no big deal."

Jim just nodded not trusting his voice. He should really get home, change - possibly _throw away_ \- his clothes, go to bed and try to pretend this disastrous night never happened.

"Why don't I buy you a drink? You can even watch me pour it to make sure." Leonard gave him a closed lipped smile cocking his head to the side placing one hip against the bar and a hand on his other. Jim shook his head about to protest but then sighed. "Just water would be good at this point."

Looking down at the wood Jim tried not to feel the stares on his back from the other patrons. So much for a quiet night out. Absently he scratched at a chip in the wood with his blunt fingernail pushing around a cube of ice. A glass of iced water was sat down in front of him the same time as Leonard filled the stool to the right.

"I'm gonna sit with you awhile, alright darlin? You're gonna be fine."

Jim felt a smile play over the side of his mouth, he felt oddly comforted by this strange man who'd basically saved his life. He turned towards Leonard feeling warmth swell in his stomach. Leonard looked back at him with an easy smile and a soft look playing in his eyes.


End file.
